A motion requesting the resignation of the RSU’s vice-president of education, Victoria Morton, was denied at the RSU’s semi-annual general meeting (SAGM) on Nov. 29.
The motion was brought forward after a video emerged that Morton took of herself drinking alcohol in her RSU office. However, the motion was struck down by a vote of 84 to 48. The meeting had a record turnout of over 200 attendees according to RSU president Obaid Ullah.
Morton addressed the 200-plus people in attendance, saying she took responsibility for her behaviour.
“I apologize to the student body. It was irresponsible of me,” said Morton. “In terms of me being punished, the university is aware of it, and I’m currently facing that.”
In addition to Morton’s drinking video, she also addressed other criticism that she said she has faced over the semester.
“There is a layer of personal attack to this; there is a layer of stuff that’s not written here, that has nothing to do with the RSU.”
While the meeting was promoted as a safe and comfortable platform to voice concerns, at several points during the meeting the crowd began to get restless and noisy. Anti-harassment officer Corey Scott had to remind the assembly to be respectful to the speakers on four separate occasions, noting that comments and reactions from the crowd present a violation of the inclusive environment.
Another motion that was addressed asked that the RSU put pressure on Ryerson to prevent anti-choice campaigns on campus. This motion was passed after the assembly heard three arguments from each side of the debate.
Many students said they felt threatened and harassed by the anti-choice demonstrators, who have been campaigning with signs on Gould Street “weekly for the past two months,” according to Jessica Ketwaroo-Green, who proposed the motion.
“The tactics of the anti-choice demonstrators … violate the bodily autonomy of community members,” Ketwaroo-Green said.
By about 10 p.m., the meeting lost its quorum, when a count showed there were fewer than the minimum 100 voting members left in the room.
The meeting adjourned at 10:30 p.m. The motions that were not covered will be voted on by the board of directors at their next meeting.
With files from Avery Friedlander
Op-Ed and Voices Editor